Notes: Another long break in between chapters. I hope everyone has been staying safe.
I also forgot to explain a bunch of names from the previous chapter. Miwa's parents, Ikuchi and Kiyo, are both taken from mythological snake creatures. Agata is taken from a mythological warrior said to have killed a mizuchi. Zaiten is a shortened version of Benzaiten, the patron of artists and dancers, and she is also accompanied by a white snake.
Chapter 24: Fork in the Road
I remember Shirai telling me all kinds of stories, on those days when we secluded ourselves from the rest of my tribe, or when it was just the two of us against the world. He told me stories of heroes and self-sacrifice, and the people left behind who mourned and honored their death. Tales of warriors hell-bent on avenging the death of someone they loved, only to find themselves empty of purpose after their mission was complete.
My purpose was to find the demon who killed my parents. Shirai helped me search, and everything I know about gathering information came from him, but there was a reason he kept telling me those stories.
The day he told me Youko Kurama killed Agata, he had wanted me to give up. My journey to find my parents' killer was over. They were dead, and nothing would bring them back. Shirai wanted me to leave the life of vengeance and revive the mizuchi legacy with him. I could let go of my anchor, and together we would find the place where we were meant to be.
...I couldn't do it. I couldn't let go of the place that I lost. Not even when a new one was right in front of me, waiting with open arms. I told Shirai that I would find Youko Kurama, with or without his help, and that my place would be beside the demon who fulfilled my purpose.
That night, I awoke to Shirai's bare hand descending on my face.
And that same night, I ran away from him, away from that bare, outstretched hand, to find the place I was meant to be.
{00}
"...And you couldn't have told me about this sooner?" Kirishima groaned.
Miwa pressed the cell phone microphone into her shoulder to muffle her heavy sigh. Her reflection in the window overlooking Gandara showed just how tired she was of this inter-dimensional conversation, and it had only just started. Her call with Takeo a little while ago was simpler than this, and that call was full of lies and cover ups. "I'm sorry," Miwa said, "I've had my hands full on this end, too."
Kirishima huffed, and it's sound from the receiver into her ear made her uncomfortable. "Do you know how much work I've put into this already?" he asked, "I have half a mind to march over to Demon World right now and kick your ass."
"As if you could." Miwa rolled her eyes at the cell phone in her hand, as if the brick of a device was the actual demon annoying her. "Look, Yomi had way more eyes on us than we expected. There's no point in sending my dad away anymore. They'll know."
No doubt he was scowling, and Miwa couldn't blame him. The original plan was to have Kirishima arrange a temporary work transfer so Takeo would be working in a different city during the third school term. Miwa would use that time to secretly take a leave of absence from Meio and return to Demon World to find Fuura. It was a bit convoluted, but it would give her a workable alibi for Himari Shimizu to disappear for three months, and most of all, Takeo would be safe in hiding. Or at least, that would have been the case if Shirai wasn't so damn good at reconnaissance. Even in her prime as an intelligence gatherer, Miwa had never been able to gather such detailed information from another dimension.
"You're not getting your money back," Kirishima snapped.
"Keep it. It'll be upfront payment for something else you can help me with."
"Why? I thought they had eyes on you."
"Their eyes don't care what I do as long as Kurama does what Yomi wants, and my plans haven't changed. I'm coming back to Human World once August is over, but I still need to disappear for a few months."
"Your dad'll be home now that I'm not sending him off on some project. He might notice that his precious daughter is gone."
"Not if you possess him while I'm away."
There was a small pause. "...You know," he said, an intrigued amusement creeping into his voice, "that's what you should have asked for the first time." He laughed, loudly, and Miwa flinched away from the receiver. "But, I guess you didn't like the thought of another demon living in your house and walking in your dad's skin."
"I don't like it. He'll smell like you for weeks."
He laughed again. "Oh, don't worry. I won't go through your room. ...Much."
Miwa ignored him. "...It's pointless to move Takeo now, so having you possess him is the only option I have."
"I can't wait..." The glee in his tone was irritating; there was no doubt he was grinning smugly to himself. "Call me when you get back, okay? We'll do lunch!"
Miwa hung up on him without a word and tossed the cell phone onto a pile of clothes in her bag; she would have to return that thing to Kurama later today. Kurama has been in a meeting with Yomi since the early morning, and Miwa begrudgingly decided to trust that Kurama would be safe alone for a few hours so she could check in with her father and Kirishima. With the phone call over, her guest room seemed very quiet. It was a rare opportunity for Miwa to have time to herself, and she didn't intend to waste it. She yanked the curtains shut and readjusted the gray overcoat that she quickly began to consider her Gandara uniform. Every time she saw someone else in the compound wearing the same coat, it reminded her of her strange place in Demon World politics. When she was satisfied with her appearance, Miwa left her room, hoping that no one would bother her until she finished her goal for today.
Shachi made himself scarce after the Unification Conference. He never stayed in a room with Kurama longer than he had to, and a scowl seemed permanently affixed to his face. Or at least, it seemed that way in the rare moments Kurama or Miwa saw him, because he purposefully avoided them at all costs. Of course, Kurama could always smell when Shachi was nearby, glaring at him from afar or choosing a different hallway to walk entirely. It was as if Shachi couldn't decide whether to follow the old adage of keeping your enemies closer than your friends. But near or far, Kurama and Miwa did not care what Shachi did with his time. Yomi's favor for his old partner gradually garnered some acknowledgement from other members of the Council, with the exception of Youda.
Shirai, in the meantime, was as polite as ever. He never asked to separate Miwa and Kurama since their first day in Gandara, openly respecting their allied stance while Shiori Minamino's safety was held hostage. Days passed, meetings were held, and Shirai never once brought up the real reasons he wanted to see Miwa again. She didn't expect him to discuss those reasons, whatever they were, in front of Kurama, but Shirai certainly didn't make any efforts to ensure them any privacy.
Of course, Miwa herself was pretty busy; she had a lot to do before their month-long stay in Gandara ended. In the little free time she had, sometimes forsaking sleep, she would try reaching out to old contacts in the area to gather any information about Fuura. It only took a week of staying in Gandara for the lingering human scent on Miwa's body to disappear, and her contacts were much more willing to speak with her when she smelled like a demon. But, for all she found, she could have stayed smelling like a human and gotten the same result. Fuura and her trade were too obscure for the limited time and resources Miwa had in Gandara. After four years of being away from the Demon World, finding information about Fuura again felt like she was starting from scratch.
So, if her own resources were not enough, she would have to rely on someone with a farther reach, no matter how uncomfortable that would feel.
The halls of Yomi's compound felt much wider when she was alone. The ceilings were so high. Miwa walked down one of the many corridors, thinking through her observations of Shirai's daily life as Chief of Intelligence to try and piece together a routine. The rooms he frequented, the times of day he walked about, or other demons he regularly associated with. It made Miwa feel like a stalker. They were both busy people, but if Shirai wanted to talk privately just as much as she did, they could make time. They owed each other at least that much.
"Looking for me?"
Miwa turned around, not at all surprised to see Shirai standing there, smiling pleasantly as always. "I am compelled to ask how you knew that," she replied.
"I just so happened to see Kurama speaking with Lord Yomi a moment ago, and you were not at his side." Shirai held his hand to his chin. "...I hope I am not too vain for thinking you wouldn't leave your post unless you needed to speak with me."
"Well, you wouldn't be wrong." Miwa sighed and folded her arms. "I have a few things I would like to ask you, and if I recall, you had some things you wanted to tell me."
"Why yes, I did, didn't I?" Shirai said, his lips curling into a thin smile. "Then, I suppose there is no time like the present."
Miwa resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. Just by his tone, she knew he was waiting for her to make the first move for their long awaited discussion. She hoped that, at the very least, he felt impressed that her limited resources lasted her this long. But without any sort of gloating or fuss, Shirai led her to an empty room down the hall. It was far less formal than the room where they held the Unification Conference. In fact, it might be more accurate to call it a "sitting room", since the room only had two small, black couches facing each other, with a small table in between. A large, glass window showed a great view of a courtyard outside, and the purple sky was clear of any clouds. Miwa had never been in this room before, but she imagined it would be used to entertain guests comfortably until a later meeting time. Shirai gestured for her to sit with his hand, and Miwa obediently sat down first.
Shirai sat across from her, but he did not comfortably lean into the couch as most demons would. He sat there with his back straight and his hands folded neatly in his lap; Miwa had never seen him relaxed during her whole time in Gandara. "Please, tell me what is on your mind," he said gently.
Miwa glanced out the window, thinking again how quickly she had gotten used to her homeland's sky after living under a bright blue one for four years. "You knew about Yusuke and Hiei before Kurama and I even arrived here," she said, trying to phrase her words carefully. "...Do you know how they're doing now?"
"Are you asking for strategic purposes?" Shirai asked, his thin smile growing wider. "Or, are you just worried about your friends?"
"Would your answer change based on how I respond?"
Shirai chuckled. "No, I suppose it wouldn't. Both Yusuke Urameshi and Hiei have been undergoing rigorous training ever since they arrived. Of course, I expect Raizen's descendent is being trained very well by the highest ranking warriors. But, interestingly, I heard Hiei has actually managed to garner some rare favor from a tyrant like Mukuro."
Miwa narrowed her eyes. "Favor?"
"Yes. He is rising very quickly through the ranks. I can assure you, you have no reason to worry about your friends."
"And just how close are your sources to the upcoming second-in-commands?"
"Not as close as I would like, I'm afraid, but close enough for my purposes."
Miwa sighed, wondering if she was unsatisfied or relieved by the news. Maybe she was needlessly worrying. Yusuke and Hiei were too stubborn to let themselves be mistreated. If she had the time to worry about their well-being, she should think about what would happen when the four of them are inevitably put against each other. Or, what would happen if Hiei becomes the one we need to fear…
"...I am pleased that your years as a thief did not diminish your kindness, Miwa," said Shirai quietly. "Both your best and worst trait, asking me about your friends first, while you and I both know the seal on your back is the real reason you need my help."
Miwa frowned. "...How much do you know?"
"I first learned about it when that Rikiji woman exposed your seal at the Dark Tournament Finals. I know that the energy of your core has been unstable since then. And...I know that you regained your old powers when you fought Shinobu Sensui."
He knew a lot. As expected. "...I conjured water during that fight," Miwa said, staring down at her hands. She did not realize it until long after the fight ended, but there was undoubtedly a moment when she had conjured water from nothing, a skill that Fuura told her would be permanently blocked by the seal on her back. "But, the seal regained its strength when I returned to the Human World, and now I can't do it anymore. The heat in my chest has only gotten worse since then." Just like how Kurama's biorhythms have become more frequent...
"Miwa...if you don't mind my asking, what happened to your seal during the tournament? Why did your energy become unstable?"
"...There could be a number of reasons," Miwa answered, shamefully looking to the ground. "Rikiji used her shikigami magic to use the seal against me when we fought, and...Kurama and I both used a new medicine to prepare for the final round, made from the Fruit of the Previous Life. We've both been experiencing side-effects since then..."
A glint passed through Shirai's eyes, the look of coming upon new knowledge. "So, that's how he transformed again, and survived all those bombs." He paused, and the excitement in his eyes faded. "Your side effects seem very different from his."
Miwa nodded.
"Then, was your transformation against Shinobu Sensui a culmination of that side-effect?"
She had asked herself the same question countless times, coming to only one conclusion. "...I don't think so," Miwa said. "I remember how angry I felt seeing Yusuke die in front of us, and the overwhelming urge to kill Sensui. I remember the seal causing pain all over my body, but I was so angry that I hardly even noticed. And then, all my power just...came back. I conjured water without even thinking about it. Whatever happened there, it's...not the same as how Kurama transformed, at the tournament or against Sensui. That's the only thing I am certain of."
"...It wasn't just your own power overcoming the shikigami magic, was it?"
"No, it was…like you said earlier. The seal became weaker. I was told this seal draws its strength from something other than my core, so any change in my own power shouldn't affect it at all. All the training I've done since getting it just strengthens the power it allowed me to keep."
"So, something about that day must be related to the seal's power source…" Shirai sighed. "...Unfortunately, my own research has not given me any insight of how shikigami seals work, so there is little advice I could give you."
"I know. That's why I need to find Fuura, the one who...the one I asked to put the seal on me. But, my resources here are not enough." Miwa clenched her fists. "I wanted to ask if you could help me find her. It's been four years, and I can't be sure she's in the same place anymore."
"...And what will you do once you find Fuura?"
"...What? I-" She stopped as Shirai reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"Are you going to have her remove it?" he asked, his voice deep and calm, "Or, are you just going to fix that seal and keep clinging to your anchor? ...If you want to free yourself, then I will help you."
Miwa opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Hiei had told her to get rid of it. Rikiji despised her for even having it. Somewhere in her mind, Miwa had always planned to get her seal fixed and return to living as Himari Shimizu, the demon girl in a human guise that swore to be at Kurama's side. She had accepted that life and identity when she fought Navigator. But, when Shirai asked her directly what she wanted to do, Miwa was shocked to find that no answer came to mind. What did she want to do? Without the seal, she may not be able to live as Himari Shimizu anymore, and her oath would be impossible to fulfil. But, she could do anything. Go anywhere. She could go back to the Demon World if Hiei decided to stay.
Even Kurama wanted her to be free.
"Your silence tells me everything," Shirai sighed. He reached into his coat, pulled out a thin folder, and tossed it to Miwa's side of the table. "I looked into Fuura once I found out about your seal; she was the only shikigami practitioner that could give you the Himari Shimizu identity."
Miwa slowly took the folder into her hands, staring at it as if the folder may explode or vanish from sight. She did not expect to have this information so soon. "Thank you…"
"She still lives a very secluded life," Shirai added, "But, you should prepare yourself, Miwa. Fuura lives in Mukuro's territory now."
Miwa's fingers clenched tightly. She would have to make this journey alone, while Kurama made his preparations in Human World. However, now that Miwa made herself a known ally to Yomi, travelling alone through Mukuro's territory would be dangerous, especially during the imminent struggle for power. If anyone loyal to Mukuro recognized her, she would be called a spy, or accused of declaring war, and demons would be after her head. Or worse...
But, Miwa had no other choice.
"...Why are you giving this to me even though I didn't answer your question?"
"It is my wish that you will choose to remove the seal. I feel...responsible for it, in a way."
"Why? Because you're the one who told me about Kurama? It was my choice to go this far for him."
"No, because I lied to you about him."
The folder fell from Miwa's hands. She didn't notice.
He lied to her?
Shirai finally stood up. "This is what I wanted to tell you. Something I've been wanting to confess for a long time." He retrieved the fallen folder with his gloved hand and held it out to Miwa once more. The thin smile vanished from his face. "Agata, the demon who killed your parents…" The pause hung between them, and Miwa felt her blood run cold. Shirai's piercing stare froze her in place. "Kurama is not the one who killed him. I did."
The folder remained in Shirai's outstretched hand. Miwa did not take it. She stood, immobilized in her spot, pale and staring blankly as a cold numbness crawled up every inch of her skin.
"I found him working as a bodyguard for a wealthy landowner, just like I told you, but in an impulsive spurt of anger and...jealousy, I killed him that very same day..."
A nauseous feeling filled Miwa's stomach. "Then...Kurama…" Her voice shook, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
"He had nothing to do with Agata's death. Kurama did rob Agata's employer, but by then, Agata was already dead."
The nausea shifted into something else, something more tumultuous that made her head throb. "You bastard!" Miwa slapped the folder out of Shirai's hand, and the contents spilled across the floor, precariously held together by small paper clips. Were those tears making her vision blur? She didn't care. A very familiar, unstable heat burned inside her chest, like her anger had manifested in literal fire. "Why would you… You knew how badly I wanted to kill him myself!"
Shirai lowered his head, and his teal hair covered his face in shame. "I hated that his filthy excuse for a life had such a large presence in your mind, and even I surprised myself with my...impulse. I thought I could free you from the emptiness that inevitably follows revenge, but I know that I could never earn your forgiveness, and I am sorry."
The water in Miwa's pouch shot out of the spout at an incredible speed, but it did not form the usual streams. It burst out like a ruptured fire hydrant, drenching the walls, floor, and even most of Miwa's back in seconds. None of it was under Miwa's control. The water soaked into the carpet and dripped down the wall without any sign of Spirit Energy or intent, as if it's only goal was to illustrate her anger.
"I haven't seen you in decades!" Miwa screamed, ignoring the water dripping from her hair. "You of all people should have been able to find me long before now! What the hell were you waiting for?!"
Shirai looked up, never recoiling from her wrath. "I was ashamed. I lied to you about Youko Kurama because I didn't want you to hate me, and I wanted to keep you from becoming the Ouroboros."
The low hiss forming in the back of Miwa's throat stopped, but only long enough to ask, "...What is that supposed to mean?"
"You...you and your tribe, you're all just like the Ouroboros, living and dying in whatever cycle you put yourselves through. The mizuchi sold themselves a fake history for centuries. Even when you escaped that cycle, you just trapped yourself in another one, chasing after vengeance and purpose wherever you could. I tried to end your cycle, but it failed..."
The water on the wall shifted sharply, and he raised his hands cautiously to show he meant no harm. Even through his black gloves, a slight tremble in his fingers was still visible, and it did not go unnoticed by either of them.
"When you ran away," Shirai continued, "I couldn't bring myself to face you again. By the time I had the courage, you were already at his side, creating your infamous partnership. So, I convinced myself I could take the secret to my grave, thinking you had already found a place for yourself. But then, I learned about your seal…" Shirai glanced at the soaked wall behind her. There were puncture holes in the wood, indicating just how fast her anger had propelled the water. "This seal will kill you, Miwa. I can sense it tearing apart your energy right now. You wouldn't have this burden if I had just been honest with you. That's why I needed you to know the truth."
He kneeled down and picked up the folder of Fuura's information, carefully putting the contents back in their proper order. The room was silent as he worked, except for the rustling paper and quiet taps of water droplets hitting the floor. Shirai had waited until just before Miwa and Kurama would leave Gandara to finally tell her this, and he found himself feeling guilty for it. Shirai had thought he finally had the courage to tell her, but still he put it off for so long. It was just...nice to see her again, to be old friends reunited, and he held on to that feeling for as long as he could, before she would hate him. Maybe he didn't really learn anything in the time he regretted his lie.
"I won't ask for your forgiveness," he said, placing the folder on the table instead. "But, please consider what I just told you when you decide how you want Fuura to help you."
Then, Shirai left the room. In the silence that followed, Miwa's legs finally gave out, and her whole body collapsed onto the couch, with no attempts to catch herself. A loud crack from a support strut echoed in the closed, empty room, and it went completely unnoticed. Miwa was too focused on the heat in her chest, clutching and tearing at her insides with a level of pain she had only felt once before.
{00}
I had always told myself I wouldn't be like those warriors in Shirai's stories of vengeance. I would not be empty of purpose when my journey ended. If Youko Kurama's path ended my journey, then my path would merge with his. The great thief stole my reason for living, so my life belonged to him. My place would be beside the one who fulfilled my mission for me, and it would be the place I chose and made for myself.
But, Shirai lied to me.
He lied to keep the end of my journey beyond my reach. To force me to leave my anchor behind and start anew. He thought it would be best for me, to avoid falling to Agata's level by killing him. The cycle of blood in my life would end at my parents' death.
Shirai miscalculated. He didn't think I would choose to follow an infamous, elusive thief. The two of us were just researchers, after all, and we avoided trouble whenever we could. Shirai didn't think I clung to my anchor so much that I would turn to a life of crime, so...he tried to change my mind by force. But when I saw his bare hand that night, I knew my place could no longer be with Shirai. I left him, and I swore to be by Youko Kurama's side, dedicating my entire existence to him.
And yet, my oath was built on a lie.
The one place I made for myself never really existed.
{00}
Kurama leaned against the wall of a nearby corridor, arms crossed over his chest, except for an open palm where a small, Demon World fungus regained its normal shape in his hand as the roots spilled over his palm. Small, white threads, clinging to the corridor walls, slowly retreated from the room Miwa and Shirai had occupied. The fungus acted as a listening device, allowing Kurama to hear their entire conversation from afar. He did not suspect that Miwa would keep this meeting a secret from him. He simply did not trust Shirai, whose intentions were unknown, so Kurama was concerned when he noticed Miwa and Shirai's scents coming together for an extended period. Miwa was Kurama's only ally in Gandara, and they promised to have each other's back. However, he never expected to hear what he did.
The white fungus threads detached themselves from the wall and retracted back to the main stem, as if time were reversing its growth, allowing Kurama to pocket the fungus easily. Footsteps echoed from farther down the corridor, but Kurama could recognize by sound alone that it wasn't Miwa. Each step was heavier than hers, and the stride was larger, but Kurama did not hide or flee. By scent, Kurama knew exactly who was coming down that corridor, and he knew his own presence was already exposed. Miwa probably knew he was listening anyway.
Besides, Kurama had a few things he wanted to ask Shirai, too.
"I suppose I should apologize to you, too, Kurama," said Shirai, not bothering with his usual polite smile. "I only wanted to tell Miwa the truth, but it may disrupt the relationship you have with your most loyal partner."
"...You went through a lot of trouble just to confess the truth to her," Kurama said.
"It was the least I could do for betraying her trust."
"Is that the only reason? Or are you hoping she will return to you now?"
Shirai allowed himself a stiff smile, and something about it made Kurama feel uneasy. "...I can't say that the hope has never crossed my mind," Shirai admitted, "I thought of her every day, missing her smile at my side and cursing myself for lying. Even now, Miwa is so earnest and full of conviction…but surely you know that already."
"...Yes, I am aware." Kurama didn't understand where he was trying to take this conversation. Shirai should know that trying to get an emotional response from him was useless.
"Then, perhaps you also understand why I needed to tell her," Shirai said, folding his hands properly behind his straightened back. "With the way she talks about you, it makes me think you also want her to be free."
"You told her the truth so she could make an informed decision. What I want for Miwa has nothing to do with that."
"It does, Kurama," said Shirai, raising his chin as if he were slightly offended. "Because believe me, when we get exactly what we want, we sometimes still find ourselves regretting the choices that brought us there."
The blatant warning hung heavy in the air between them. It was the first time Kurama had ever seen him glare.
"And did telling her that you killed Ataga ease your regrets?"
"...The girl I loved will never forgive me. What do you think?" Shirai was tall. Even without his chin raised, he easily looked down at Kurama. "But, I did what I had to do to stop her from eating away at her own tail." He broke their eye contact and started down the corridor, his gloved hands still folded neatly behind his back. However, just as their shoulders passed each other, Kurama heard him whisper, "Which is more than you have ever done for her, isn't it?"
That wasn't a challenge, or even speculation. Shirai said those words with full confidence in their truth, and it sent chills throughout Kurama's body, clenching right at his heart. He watched Shirai's hands carefully as he passed by, if only to confirm with his own eyes that the gloves were still on. They were, which scared him most of all. Just how much did Shirai know about them? How much of what Kurama meant to hide was already seen? He could only imagine, but none of his conclusions calmed his uneasy feelings. Shirai knew. It was as simple as that. He knew one of Kurama's biggest regrets...
...his own complacency in Miwa's cycle.
The day they reunited in Human World surfaced from the deep sea of his memory. That rainy day when he was still in middle school, walking through the shopping district under an umbrella and surrounded by the smells of rain, wet earth, and human life. The way he caught the faintest whiff of her scent amongst all of that, and how he ran through the crowd, faster than any human boy could, just to track down that scent. Ignoring the voice in his head telling him not to do it. To keep his distance. To let her believe he was dead, or else she would never be free.
He remembered all of that resolve disappearing, falling away like the rain off his body, the moment he saw her standing on the street corner, smiling at him under that white umbrella.
Kurama turned his back to Shirai and walked down the corridor, his pace increasing with each step. He could still sense Miwa in that room, but it wasn't hard to find her. Whether it was due to her seal or her own emotions, her Spirit Energy was fluctuating all over the place. Decorative flowers in the corridor swayed from side to side like a drunk man as their vases swiveled in place. A few of them tipped over, spilling water on the ground that wiggled strangely, looking more like a slug than a liquid.
Miwa had been angry before. She was never very good at masking her emotions; they always showed themselves one way or another. But, Kurama had never seen it manifest like this. He didn't sense her will in the water around him; the water itself was responding to her. It reminded him of the House of Four Dimensions, when Miwa had nearly tipped over a fish bowl as Hiei lost his soul. He didn't sense any of her Spirit Energy in the water then, and he didn't sense it here. He only sensed her in that room, her energy shifting and churning in a way that did not feel natural, and his quick pace broke into a run, running just like he did on that rainy day.
Pain…
This was how her energy fluctuated when she was in pain.
Kurama reached the sitting room, and he threw the door open without stopping to knock. Before he could fully cross the threshold, a barrage of tiny water droplets shot in front of him, some missing his nose by less than an inch. The droplets punctured straight through the wall to his side, and the sound of splintered wood echoed in his ears. But, he entered the room without hesitating, not even brandishing his weapon to defend himself. Miwa's blue eyes winced at him from across the room, showing only the faintest hint of recognition once she saw his face. One arm was stretched out in front of her, likely directing the rain of bullets she had instinctively fired at the nearest intruder, but the other arm still clutched tightly at her chest. as if she thought ripping through her skin and bones would help her reach that pain and ease it.
It was pointless to ask if she was okay. The audacity of it might earn another water bullet at his head. "Miwa," Kurama said gently, "The seal is tearing at your core. You have to regain control." Being so close, he could feel her tumultuous energy resonating in his chest. A cynical voice told him he was asking her for the impossible. Her previous success in reeling in the seal's instability at will was average at best. This was bad. Kurama had never seen the seal react this way. "Miwa, you can't let it kill you. Not now..."
Miwa, who was sprawled across the sofa, slowly slid her body down to the floor, and she pulled both hands tightly to her chest. On her knees, she tried to make herself as small as possible, but she refused to look at anything else but Kurama's face. A silent, unspoken message passed between them, and Kurama knew what he had to do. He took slow steps closer to her, and he kneeled at her side. Her eyes had a wild, strained look to them, like she was forcing herself to focus on anything other than the pain in her chest. Her face was pale, and the faint glimmer of sweat created a thin layer on her skin. Kurama said her name again, louder and clearer than before, knowing that seeing him in front of her helped Miwa anchor herself to a more stable reality. The only ally she had in Gandara, right before her eyes.
Slowly, ever so slowly, the fluctuations began to stabilize. Several minutes passed, both of them on their knees, as Miwa's short, raspy gasps of air ebbed away to deeper breaths. The raging energy inside her calmed, and the water around her stopped shifting in odd movements. Miwa's hands released her chest, and with tired, shaky arms, she pushed herself onto her feet and back on the couch.
"...I'm okay," she sighed, holding her head in her hands. "It passed."
Kurama rose to his feet. "Are you sure?"
Miwa nodded and scoffed lightly. "Dammit," she said, forcing a small, self-deprecating laugh, "It hasn't flared up like that since the cave…"
"It reacts to your emotions," Kurama said, sitting across from her to give her more space. "That much, at least, is clear by now."
"That's just fantastic," Miwa groaned, leaning deeper into the couch. "No doubt Shirai sensed the whole thing, too. As if he needs more evidence against this stupid seal…" Miwa took a deep breath, leaned her head back against the couch, staring up at the ceiling, and let out a long, frustrated sigh. She covered her face with her hands, digging her fingers through her hair. "You heard everything, right?"
It was strange for her to hide her eyes like that while talking to him. "I did."
Miwa's fingers gripped at her hair tightly, and she sighed again. Then a third time, still hiding behind her hands. For a moment, she just held that position, covering her face, fingers clutching at her hair, and taking deep breaths that she always exhaled as heavy sighs. Kurama waited, patiently and quietly, letting her gather her thoughts again. He had never imagined Shirai's words would cause her seal to react so violently. Even when they witnessed Yusuke die, and all of their emotions surged beyond any of their control, it did not react like this. Kurama wondered to himself if, had this reaction continued, would Miwa have transformed again? Her hair didn't change, but he couldn't see her shoulders for any snake scales, or fangs forming inside her clenched mouth. Or...did this reaction have nothing to do with that, and the seal was simply getting worse?
"I'm sorry for dragging you into this," Miwa said suddenly, still not letting go of her face.
Kurama rested his elbows on his knees. "You don't have to apologize for that."
"Yes, I do," Miwa snapped. Finally, she pulled her hands away from her face, but she just stared at the ceiling. "You and me… All this time, I forced you into my own ridiculous cycle."
"It wasn't your fault. Shirai lied to you.."
"That's the problem!" Miwa's head jerked up, finally meeting him eye to eye. "You're not angry?! Everything, finding you and getting to this point, it all was based on a damn lie!"
"That doesn't mean everything after it wasn't real!" He surprised himself by raising his voice, but Kurama had never seen her like this. He had seen Miwa be angry, panicked, shocked, and even desperate on more than one occasion. This was different. She was frantic. The foundation of her whole world had shattered beneath her feet. "All of the choices you made since then," Kurama continued, clenching his fists tightly together. He didn't know where these words were coming from. "...Your choices and their consequences. All of that was real. You're here right now, with me, because of the choices you made. And I still need you here, Miwa-"
A certain look glossed over Miwa's manic expression, a mixture of recognition and surprise, and Kurama bit his tongue hard the moment he saw it. A familiar irony taste overtook his mouth.
"Right…" Miwa said dreamily, glancing around the room as if she finally remembered where she was. "The fighters. You wanted fighters for Yomi…"
Kurama suppressed a very strong urge to hit himself. What the hell was he thinking? Miwa was finally beginning to grasp the idea of a life without her oath, and he just reinforced the reality that was born from it.
He remembered that day in the rain again; he was so happy to see her then, despite every instinct telling him not to. Complacency. How often had Kurama done this without even realizing it?
"I know where they all are," Miwa said, and she rose to her feet. Her balance was fully recovered as she walked to the door without stumbling. But, the folder Shirai gave her was left conspicuously on the small table between them. She did not even spare it a glance as she passed by. "I don't think there will be any trouble getting them to agree, but-"
"Miwa, wait."
Kurama snatched up the folder and caught Miwa by the shoulder; it felt very small under his hand. She turned to him, and for a moment, she looked like her usual self, but her face paled when Kurama held out the folder to her.
"Shirai was right about this," he said, patiently waiting for her to take it. "I don't know if Fuura can help you with your seal, but no matter what she tells you, you're going to have to choose what you'll do next very carefully."
Miwa had asked for this information, and she was even grateful for it not too long ago. Now, Miwa stared at the folder, and clear signs of fear and uncertainty crept onto her face the longer she looked. Kuama didn't like that look, but she needed to face this.
She sighed loudly, one last time, and said, "...I know," before taking the folder from his hand.
{00}
The end of August came surprisingly quickly, as if time chose to speed up their stay in Gandara. Or at least, that's how it felt with so much work packed in every single day. Kurama and Miwa returned home, just in time for the end of summer vacation. It sounded a bit stupid to call it that, because nothing about their "vacation" felt like it matched any possible definition of the word. But, it was true all the same. It took a few moments to adjust to the bright blue sky that hovered over the world of humans, to the warm sunlight on their skin, and to the very "human" smell in the air.
Upon her return, Himari Shimizu received a lovely welcome home from her father, and that night they celebrated with her favorite dishes for dinner and stories that lasted until the food on the table turned cold. None of the stories she shared were true, but Takeo Shimizu was blissfully unaware. In a different part of town, Shuichi Minamino returned to his own home, giving himself only one day alone in the empty house before his mother and stepfamily's arrival;. A few days later, Himari and Shuichi both started their second term of school. There was a brief moment, when they walked through the familiar school gates, where they both felt as if Gandara was just a dream, but neither of them were aware they felt the same dissonance. Not to mention the feeling didn't last for very long. Going back to their human life did not give them leeway to rest. They immediately went to work fulfilling Kurama's promise to Yomi. After six months, Kurama would present six warriors to serve in Yomi's army, all with an energy reading over 100,000.
On the day Kurama announced his plan to the rest of the council, Shachi loudly proclaimed that producing so many high-level demons from the Human World was impossible, not without Spirit World finding and ending the operation immediately, and Youda openly agreed with him. However, Kurama was confident that it could be done, and Yomi trusted him, so the discussion ended right there. Shachi left the conference that day angry and muttering bitterly to himself. Miwa wanted nothing more than to prove him wrong.
It took only two weeks to gather the six warriors they had in mind. They were, for lack of better word, eager to get started. They were familiar faces; demons they came to consider as friends or allies in the Dark Tournament, even though they all started on opposing teams. Rinku and Chuu from Team Rokuyukai, Touya and Jin from Team Masho, and Suzuki and Shishiwakamaru from Team Uraotogi gathered, united under the same goals: to get stronger and to possibly fight Yusuke Urameshi again someday. They hid in a remote mountain cave on Genkai's property, where the old master led them in rigorous, brutal training every single day, just as Yusuke did not long ago. Koenma graciously helped ward the mountainside so no one, not even Spirit World, would detect the insane amounts of demon energy growing inside that cave. Kurama's time was dedicated to maintaining his human life, overseeing the training, and making regular reports to an annoying parasite demon that burrowed into Kokoda's head. Shachi just couldn't let this go without taking Kurama's stepbrother hostage.
Still, despite the espionage and hostage, Kurama's training for the six warriors proceeded as planned. All they had to do was wait for six months to pass and present them to Yomi.
Miwa, in the meantime, was busy with her own work. She left the faculty office one Wednesday afternoon and audibly sighed as she closed the door behind her. As she was quickly learning, there were a lot of tracks to cover if a human teenager wanted to disappear without the police chasing after them. She had to forge more paperwork than her fake dance camp just to convince Meio she would be gone for the third term. The hallway was empty and quiet, except for a few adult voices from the faculty office, so no student noticed Himari Shimizu was there long after classes already ended. Even though she didn't care if she was seen, Miwa still looked up and down the hallway before quickly leaving the building.
Leaving school alone was becoming more and more common these days, and it increasingly felt quieter every time it happened. For the most part, Miwa and Kurama had walked home together every day since she showed up at his middle school four years ago, but now, they were both very busy. On this particular day, Kurama ditched school to visit the training compound to oversee the warriors' progress, and because the stupid parasite demanded another update. So, Miwa left school alone, not even stopping to see Taichi or Saya on her way out. As she walked the familiar path home, her footsteps seemed louder, and she felt more aware of her surroundings than usual; there wasn't much else to focus on. Winter was settling in and making itself very comfortable, so the air was cold and nipped at Miwa's skin as she walked through town. The cold did not keep the streets from being busy. Walking bundles of coats, jackets, and scarfs, except for that one crazy person - there's always at least one - who braved the cold in just a t-shirt and jeans. Miwa tugged at the collar of her coat, briefly wondering if her affinity to water made her more susceptible to the cold, and just as the ceiling of her apartment came into view about a block away, a familiar scent crept into the cold air.
Miwa sighed, glancing around for any human witnesses. Two elementary school boys were several steps ahead of her, swapping trading cards with each other and heavily into their own conversation. The familiar scent was coming up behind her, closer and closer, but Miwa didn't think those two elementary boys would hear what this person had to say, let alone care about it. Children seemed to live in their own little world, at times. She turned around, hands in her pockets, and saw a man she did not recognize. His face was small and mousy, but his black eyes were sharp. His light brown hair was stiff and rough, even though it did not have the shine you would expect from someone wearing hair gel. He looked Miwa right in the eye and grinned; his teeth looked sharp.
Miwa sniffed indignantly, and she did not smile back. The man's smell, at least, had not changed since the last time she saw him. "I guess I shouldn't call you 'Kirishima' anymore, since you ditched that body."
The man rolled his eyes at her. "You should feel honored, kid," he said, folding his arms. "You finally get to see what I really look like. No meatsuit, no nothing."
"Then, what should I call you?" Miwa asked. "Even if you possess him, I will not call you by my dad's name."
"So stiff," he whined, and then he cupped his chin, staring whimsically at the sky. "How about you call meeee...Iizuna?"
He fell silent, staring at Miwa expectantly. He wiggled his eyebrows a couple times, smiling like a cheeky teenager.
Miwa sighed. "...Iizuna."
"Perfect."
Iizuna casually walked forward, towards Miwa's apartment, and did not even wait for her to follow him. Miwa rolled her eyes and trailed after him, making sure to walk at his side the moment she caught up. She was expecting him to show up today, so none of this was really a surprise, but it still felt strange to see him there in his own demon body, not possessing any human he needs for whatever job he's working. If it weren't for his smell, Miwa wouldn't believe it was actually him.
"I am quite the lucky man," Iizuna said suddenly, looking up at the apartment. "Such a pretty girl, inviting me into her home like this."
"Flattery was never really your thing...Iizuna. Don't start now."
"Knowing the hierarchy comes with the territory, sweetheart." Iizuna pulled a cigarette from his pocket and flicked at a cheap-looking lighter with his thumb. "How was Gandara? Was it cozy up there in Yomi's inner circle?"
"Hardly. And there is no hierarchy. I'm not anyone important over there."
Iizuna rolled his eyes at her. "You're no fun. Not even a 'How are you?' It's not often I get invited to possess someone." Finally, his lighter ignited, and he lit the cigarette.
Miwa sighed. "Fine. How are you? I hope you're not planning on doing anything to my dad that will make me angry."
"Wouldn't dream of it. How is the setup for your vanishing act?"
"I've forged the paperwork I need. I just need you to cover up everything else."
Iizuna exhaled some smoke, and it mixed with the condensation of his breath in the cold air. "You already paid me upfront. I'll cover whatever you need."
Miwa tilted her head. "...You're surprisingly honest about your deals. I thought you might have asked for more."
"Someone in my trade won't get work if I don't keep my word."
"Fair enough."
They arrived at the main entrance of Miwa's apartment, and they walked through the door without any trouble. Even the guard at the front only spared them a passing glance over the magazine in his hands. Of course they did. They didn't look suspicious, even if they were full-blooded demons. The other residents they passed on the way to the third floor also didn't take particular notice of them, despite Iizuna's loud comments about how long it has been since he was at this apartment. Miwa glared at him for talking so much, and he ignored her, flicking his finished cigarette over the ledge. When they got to the front door of room 304, where Miwa lived, she checked her watch, took a breath, and inserted her key.
"Your dad's home?" Iizuna asked, but it didn't really sound like a question. No doubt Iizuna could smell Takeo, too.
Miwa nodded, unlocked the door, and they both stepped inside.
When the door closed behind them, the sounds of dinner being prepared in the kitchen and the soft murmur of the TV filled their ears. Miwa took a few more steps forward, announcing her presence with the typical, "I'm home!" call, Takeo looked up from his food preparation, and the moment seemed to freeze in time. He and Miwa made eye contact, and she used that instant to memorize everything about the scene before her. Takeo Shimizu, the kind man in his late thirties who Iizuna forced into believing he had a teenage daughter. The man who took to his new role as a single father surprisingly well, doing everything he could to support and bond with an extremely awkward teenager that sometimes acted as if she came from another planet. In the four short years Miwa knew him, she undoubtedly grew to love and care for him. She couldn't have asked for a better guardian figure for Himari Shimizu.
He was a good man, living the best life he could, and Miwa was about to have his free will hijacked once again.
Takeo opened his mouth, but whether it was to say hello or to ask about the unfamiliar man at the door, Miwa would never know. Iizuna's body glowed white, and his energy shifted strangely. His humanoid silhouette in the white light softened to an amorphous shape that suddenly rocketed across the apartment, right into Takeo's chest. Takeo stumbled backward, and the cutting board he was holding fell flat to the ground with a loud slap. Takeo's body glowed white for a few seconds, Iizuna's amorphous shape disappeared, and the light quickly faded away. Only Takeo and Miwa stood in the apartment, but Iizuna wasn't gone.
"How nostalgic," Iizuna said, using Takeo's mouth and voice, "He hasn't changed much since I last wore him." He looked up, as if trying to remember something. "...Oh, but he did get promoted. Good for him."
Miwa set down her school bag and walked closer. He looked like Takeo, and He sounded like Takeo, but the smell was very different, and Miwa no longer felt his presence in the room. Iizuna's possession caused no physical changes. Nothing about Takeo's features would change to match Iizuna, nor were any ears or tails visible, as some folklore would suggest. Of course, anyone with a certain level of Spiritual Awareness would notice something...different about Takeo Shimizu if they ever laid eyes on him. His energy no longer felt like a human's, and a distinctly demon scent came from the human body. And, since Iizuna did not have to pretend at the moment, Miwa could clearly see a shift in Takeo's body language. The shoulders were straighter, and his smile had a certain snark to it that Miwa had never seen on Takeo's face before. It was jarring, looking both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. In quite the literal sense, a completely different person was wearing Takeo Shimizu's skin, and Miwa didn't like anything about it. But, this was your plan, a voice in her head said, accusing and reproachful.
"What did you do with Kirishima's body?" Miwa asked, trying to think of anything else.
Iizuna shook out Takeo's wrists and adjusted the sleeves on the blue sweater he wore. "I left him in some convenience store bathroom back in Kashima," he answered, not even looking in her direction. "Poor bastard has a crap-ton of work to do tomorrow. Ditched him just in time."
Miwa narrowed her eyes at him. "And, he won't wonder why he suddenly woke up in a random bathroom?"
"Not how my possession works. He'll probably think he just forgot what he wanted to buy and go back home." Finally, Iizuna looked at her. Even the way he tilted Takeo's head looked so different. "Why so curious? He's nothing to you."
"You're possessing my dad. I want a better idea of how this works."
Iizuna rolled his eyes and sighed. "Kirishima, and your dad, they only remember what I want them to remember. There is a reason I pretend to live their lives, you know. My passion isn't exactly pushing paperwork through the administrative black hole. I just borrow their lives to get what I need from them."
"...So, pretending to be Kirishima wasn't just part of your cover in that office. It fooled him too."
"Exactly. Humans tend to get sent to the nut house if they lose time for as long as I stay. For the parts I don't let them remember, their brains tend to fill in the blanks I leave behind. Whatever they think of is probably more believable than 'demon possession,' or whatever."
Miwa leaned against the couch. The TV was still playing some weird variety show Takeo liked to watch. "Then, you don't manipulate memories, or anything like that."
Iizuna left the kitchen, completely abandoning whatever Takeo was preparing for dinner, and made himself comfortable on the same couch. The variety show seemed to amuse him. "Nope. You'd be surprised how much work the human brain does for me. All I had to do was tell your dad that he had an illegitimate daughter, and he filled in the rest of the story." Iizuna turned his head, grinning at her. The expression looked foreign on Takeo's face. "If you want him to forget all about you, Miwa, you're gonna have to find someone else."
"I didn't say I want him to forget about me," Miwa snapped. The water bottle she kept in her school bag shifted.
"No, but you're thinking about it," he said, smirking knowingly. "It's adorable, going out of your way to spare a human's feelings when you disappear."
"I'm not disappearing forever," Miwa said, "I'm just doing what I have to do."
"You don't have to do anything. Not for him. Takeo Shimizu is not your real father, and teenagers go missing all the time. You've already left for a month."
"...I have other things to do when this is over, and that kind of trouble would only get in the way."
"Yeah yeah, duty calls and all that. But, just because you think you have things to do doesn't mean you have to do them." Iizuna grabbed the remote control and turned the TV off. A much more interesting show was in front of him. "Something happened in Gandara, didn't it?"
Miwa glared at him, but she found herself with nothing to say.
"When you first came to me about this plan to run off for a few months, I could tell you had every intention of coming back to Human World and continue this 'Himari Shimizu' charade until you died. But now…" He held his chin with his hand. "Now, you're not sure."
Miwa pushed off the couch and went to the kitchen. "You don't know what you're talking about," she said, cleaning up the prep work Takeo had started; it looked like he was going to make meat and potato stew. Unfortunately, there was no way Miwa would have a nice, home cooked meal with this guy. Not while he's wearing that skin.
"You can be honest, Miwa," Iizuna said, grinning devilishly. "You have no idea what the hell you're going to do once you're done with this plan, do you? Not really."
A water stream pushed itself out of Miwa's school bag and loomed over Iizuna's head. "What I do is none of your business." A low hiss rattled behind her teeth.
Iizuna didn't even flinch. "You can't hurt me. Not in your precious dad's body." The smugness he dared show on Takeo's face was infuriating. "And why not tell me?" he asked, "I'm the one helping you with your cover story. If you don't come back, shouldn't I get a heads up?"
Slowly, the water stream retreated back into the bottle hidden in Miwa's school bag. She knew letting Iizuna possess Takeo would lead to this crap, but there was nothing else she could do. Dishes clattered loudly as Miwa forced them back to their usual storage place; if Iizuna wasn't so useful, or easily bought, she might have killed him a long time ago. The idea of disappearing from the Human World did cross Miwa's mind, but she refused to entertain the thought for very long. It reminded her of what Shirai had told her, and her brain would spiral into endless thoughts about the "what ifs" her life could have taken had he not lied to her.
"Forget it," Iizuna said, settling back into a more normal sitting position on the couch. "I'll find out what you end up doing, whether you tell me or not. Watching you flop around like a goldfish is extremely entertaining."
"Cheeky bastard," Miwa grunted.
Iizuna grinned at her again and turned on the TV.
{00}
Once Iizuna moved in, Miwa rarely spent time at home. She hated how his smell soaked into the apartment so quickly, how he imitated Takeo's body language perfectly until the moment he returned home, or how he kept making jokes that he would never snoop through her room, oh no, nothing like that. She knew leaving Iizuna alone in the apartment gave him ample opportunity to abuse the space, including her room, but Miwa just couldn't stand a constant reminder that she forced Takeo Shimizu to relinquish his free will. Again. Overall, this was a much simpler plan than sending Takeo away, like she originally wanted to do, but having Iizuna around whenever she came home made Miwa reconsider her decision every day. She had to remind herself that she can't kill him while he is in Takeo's body, a fact that Iizuna loved to flaunt over her.
However, despite Miwa's overall dislike of him, Iizuna followed through on the job she hired him for. As Himari Shimizu's father, Iizuna smoothed details with the school regarding her absence during the third term. The cover story was Himari leaving to stay with her mother's family for a while due to "private family matters." Perhaps due to his work, Iizuna was very good with his words and persuasion, so he smoothly answered all questions the school faculty had for him, while Miwa forged any documents they asked for. When she returned to Meio (If she returned, as Iizuna loved to point out with that stupid grin of his.) for the next school year, Miwa would provide a forged transcript of the school she attended in her absence. Simple enough, and all Miwa had to do was tolerate Iizuna's existence for as long as she needed him.
Maybe after that, she would kill him. ...Maybe.
It was a cold day in the middle of December, with less than a week of classes remaining before the winter break, when Himari Shimizu's extended absence for the entire third term was announced to her homeroom class. Miwa sat in her seat, trying very hard to ignore all of the people looking at her, especially Saya Kimura's surprised face, while their teacher explained the (fake) circumstances for her departure. To ignore the looks she was getting, Miwa ran through the details of her cover story with Iizuna in her mind, knowing that eventually people would bombard her with questions. Oh, and bombard her they did. Her classmates crowded around her desk the moment their homeroom teacher left the classroom, asking all sorts of questions - some of which the teacher had already covered, but Miwa answered them all the same. Lying through her teeth to them was not as hard as what came later.
Saya and Taichi cornered her in the hallway mere minutes after classes ended for the day, before Miwa had a chance to hide on the rooftop or something, like she had done at lunch. They both committed to skipping club activities that day and dragged her to the nearest cafe so they could sit down and talk. Miwa had never been inside the cafe before, but she did enjoy the warm, brown colors in its design. It wasn't particularly unique compared to other cafes she has seen, but the colors helped her forget the cold weather outside, and Miwa had never been particularly fond of the cold. Taichi and Saya both ordered coffee, and Miwa got a hot chocolate, all three in paper cups that were intricately decorated with the cafe's logo. They sat at a small booth right by the window. The condensation fogging up the glass actually granted them a bit of privacy, but they could still clearly see things outside at their eye level; mostly pedestrians paying them absolutely no attention whatsoever. Miwa didn't particularly want her drink, but having something warm to hold in her hands would be a nice distraction as she answered inevitable questions. Her friends were shocked, as Miwa expected, that she had never told them about this announcement beforehand, never even hinted at it.
"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner," Miwa said, cupping her hands around her hot chocolate. The warmth seeping into her skin felt very nice.
"You were gone for most of the summer, too," Saya said, staring gloomily at her own drink. "It just feels so sudden."
"Everything was sudden," Miwa lied, thankful they had the decency to take the "private family matters" explanation to heart and not pry too deeply. She had mentally prepared for their questions, but telling them her fake story face to face was much harder than her other classmates.
"But, you'll be back next school year, right?" Taichi asked, looking hopeful. He had yet to drink his coffee, but he kept absentmindedly stirring it with a small, plastic stick despite not adding anything.
Miwa, who had been avoiding eye-contact with the two of them, forced herself to look up. This was the question she dreaded the most. "Yes, of course I will." The words felt wooden and hollow, and she clenched her warm mug for moral support.
Saya sighed, still sad, but a bit more relaxed than before. She was the first to take a sip of their drink. "Does Minamino know, too?" Saya asked.
Miwa nodded. "I told him on the way to school this morning." Another lie. Kurama had known her plans for a while now.
"Really?" Taichi asked, leaning forward on the desk. "He didn't seem that different in class today..." Then, Taichi scrunched his eyebrows together and shrugged his shoulders, becoming the second one to drink. "Then again, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy that would broadcast this sort of thing…"
"Minamino has been absent a lot lately, too," Saya said quietly, more as a random musing to herself than continuing their conversation. "Someone else beat him on the test rankings the other day."
Miwa pretended to not hear her. "He already knew some things were going on. Me leaving wasn't a big surprise to him."
Taichi and Saya glanced at each other. Again, Miwa was thankful for their tact. It would have been awkward to explain why Shuichi Minamino knew about her family problems but not them. Miwa knew her place in her relationship with the two of them: the third wheel, the one with a stronger tie outside of their little group. And, deep down, Miwa had a strong feeling they would be fine without her, even if she didn't come back… Human teenagers were like that sometimes, changing members of their friend group left and right. Miwa learned at least that much in her time at school.
For a moment, Taichi and Saya's determination to stay and help her against Shou Nishida surfaced from her memory, but Miwa immediately brushed it off. They didn't remember it anyway; Miwa made sure of that herself.
"Still," Taichi said, pulling Miwa out of her thoughts, "He'll probably be lonely without you, Shimizu. The only other person I've seen Minamino really talk to is that Kaito guy."
Miwa looked down at the hot chocolate she had been ignoring. Finally, she took a sip, but the taste didn't register on her tongue at all, and instead of drinking from it, Miwa felt as if she were hiding behind her cup. "...He'll be fine," she answered, realizing this response was becoming very commonplace with her lately. The fact that he wanted her to leave made her even more sure of its accuracy. "He's got a lot on his plate now, anyway."
Taichi leaned on his elbows, pushing gently against his coffee cup. The liquid stirred inside, but he drank enough coffee to keep it from spilling over. "Well, I'll keep an eye on Minamino for you, if you want," he offered.
Taichi and Kurama don't speak to each other much, despite being classmates, and they are only associated through their mutual friend, but Taichi's smile was pure, genuine, and actually heartwarming. Miwa nodded at him, unsure what words could repay that kindness.
Saya stared at Miwa, contemplating something, but then she smiled. "Well, at least you'll get to see people you knew before moving here, right?"
Miwa blinked at her, momentarily forgetting about Himari's fake life before living with Takeo. She had, at first, imagined running into old informant contacts, who may still harbor the "demon traitor" mentality towards her and Kurama, or maybe other demons that recognize her, for better or worse, from the insane coverage of the Dark Tournament. The mental image brought on a small feeling of dread, hoping such encounters wouldn't slow her mission to find Fuura. She only had three months. But, Miwa took a large sip of her hot chocolate, managed to collect herself, and answered, "You're right. It's been a while since I've seen them."
A soft knock on the window glass made all three of them jump. They turned, and Iizuna stood outside, smiling pleasantly and waving. Miwa felt her stomach clench and her breath catch in her throat. He was much better at sneaking than she expected; Miwa didn't sense him coming, and she couldn't smell his scent through the glass.
"Oh, it's your dad, Himari," Saya said, laughing to calm her nerves after getting startled by his sudden appearance. Iizuna was still possessing Takeo's body, so Taichi and Saya wouldn't suspect anything, but Miwa never wanted him to show himself to her friends.
Forcing herself to not show any anger on her face, Miwa chugged the last of her hot chocolate; luckily her cup was small. "I guess he wants me home," she said quickly, grabbing her school bag as she slid out of the booth. "Packing, and stuff. See you guys later!"
Miwa hurried out of the cafe, not looking back, and right into Iizuna's annoying, grinning face the moment she opened the door. "Ohh, you didn't need to rush out on my account," he said.
"And let you talk with my friends? Think again." His smile looked just like Takeo's; it made Miwa angry. "Let's g-"
"Shimizu, wait up!" A groan threatened to leave Miwa's throat, but just like her anger with Iizuna, she forced it down. Taichi and Saya had followed her out, announcing their presence when a small bell hung on the door started ringing. "Sorry to hold you up," Taichi said, holding his hands up apologetically, "I just wanted to introduce myself to your dad.."
Miwa turned around, forcing herself to smile. "No worries," she managed to say, just as Iizuna happily stepped forward and bowed oh so politely.
"I'm Takeo Shimizu, Himari's father," he said, also nodding at Saya because Iizuna knew Takeo had met her before. "I'm happy to meet more of her friends."
Taichi also returned the bow. "I'm Taichi Tsutsumi, in the same grade but a different class. It's nice to meet you, sir."
Iizuna sniffed, confirming to himself that these two were in fact completely normal humans, but the confirmation seemed to amuse him more than anything else. "You as well. Thank you for being friends with Himari, she speaks of you often."
Off on the side, Miwa shifted her feet uncomfortably. Introducing friends was always a bit uncomfortable since there were so many human social pleasantries to go through, but Takeo had always seemed happy to learn about Himari's friends. Adding Iizuna into the equation just made Miwa want to leave as soon as possible.
Maybe Saya sensed something, but thankfully she pulled on Taichi's arm to stop the conversation. "It's nice to see you again, Mr. Shimizu," she said, politely, "We'll get out of your way since Himari has things to do today."
Miwa nodded, maybe a bit too enthusiastically. "Yeah, more packing and stuff. Let's go, Dad." Ugh, the word felt strange on her tongue.
Iizuna just grinned down at her discomfort, but luckily he decided not to press the issue. "Alright, alright. Let's go."
"Okay, see you at school!" Taichi said, and Saya waved alongside him.
Miwa walked ahead, resisting the strong urge to drag Iizuna away by his arm. Behind them, Taichi and Saya went back into the cafe, presumably to finish their coffee, since neither of them were carrying their school things when they came outside.
"Why are you so flustered?" Iizuna asked, laughing and easily keeping pace with Miwa's angry stride, "I'm not going to eat them or anything."
Miwa ignored his question completely. "There's no need for you to see either of them."
"I can't be curious about my client's fake life?"
"Takeo's memories should be more than enough for your job."
Iizuna pouted, folding his arms over his chest. It looked ridiculous on Takeo's body. "But, I'm the one who gave you the Himari Shimizu name."
Miwa sighed. "Yes, but I'm the one who did something with it. Stay out of her life."
Iizuna laughed again, the sadistic freak. "They seem like nice kids. I could maybe understand why you wouldn't want to hurt their feelings by disappearing forever."
"It's not forever," Miwa said through clenched teeth.
Iizuna rolled his eyes dramatically. "So you say."
"Miwa," said a voice, just as she caught the familiar scent.
Miwa and Iizuna turned around. Kurama stood there, one hand in his pocket and eyes narrowed. A very hard, distrustful stare right at Iizuna. But Iizuna, not one to cower in the face of someone much stronger, grinned once again.
"And finally I get to meet the Kurama," he said, raising his arms in excitement. "You can call me 'Iizuna.' I'll be living in Takeo Shimizu's body while your dear friend is away."
Kurama did not match any of Iizuna's enthusiasm. "I am aware."
"Aww, he's heard about me!" Iizuna squealed, grabbing Miwa's shoulder like an overexcited girl.
A small smile appeared on Kurama's lips, but it did not look amused. "Yes. I need to know who to kill if anything happens to your host body."
Iizuna rolled his eyes dramatically again. "Why do you both think I'll hurt him? I've always taken very good care of the bodies I borrow. How else would I get paid?"
Miwa held her face in her hands. Iizuna only appeared about ten minutes ago and she was already tired of him. "Iizuna, shouldn't Takeo be at work right now? Why were you by that cafe, anyway?"
Iizuna straightened up and dropped his theatrics. "Honest, I was running an errand for the office and just so happened to see you with your friends on my way back."
"...Just so happened?"
"Honest," Iizuna repeated, holding up his right hand. He dropped his hand just as quickly, sighing dramatically once more. "But it's fine. I know when I'm not wanted. I'll leave you crazy kids alone and head back to work now."
"Please do," Miwa sighed, "Stop causing a scene just to mess with me."
"Don't blame me," Iizuna said, taking several steps in another direction, towards the city hall where Takeo worked. "I just wanted to have some fun with my favorite little goldfish before going back to a dreary office."
Kurama glanced towards her at the word "goldfish," but Miwa shook her head to try and dismiss it.
Iizuna moved to leave, but suddenly he snapped his fingers and grinned again. "By the way, meeting you, Kurama, reminded me of something," he said, "Pay me a little extra, and I'll tell you what Takeothinks of you both. I'll even give you a free hint. He really likes Shuuichi."
"Iizuna…"
"Fine, fine, please don't kill me. See you later, crazy kids." He waved at them casually and walked off. It was a little hard to hear with the crowd of pedestrians around them, but Miwa was certain he started humming as he walked. Such a carefree demon, walking around in the skin of someone she cared about. If his skills weren't so useful, or if he wasn't so easy to buy…
"He really knows how to secure his own safety without needing any physical strength," Miwa said, trying to not sound impressed.
"I am still surprised you let him possess Takeo," Kurama said, his serious expression softening just the slightest bit.
Miwa sighed. "I don't like it at all, but it was a simpler solution than trying to trick Takeo for so long." She adjusted her scarf as the cold started setting in. More than ten minutes out in the cold made Miwa lose any warmth she gathered from the cafe. "Did you come because you sensed that he was a demon?"
Kurama nodded. "I haven't met Iizuna until today, and Takeo's scent was mixed with...something else."
"The whole apartment smells like that. I can't stand it."
"But…" Kurama said, walking to the side of the road. He leaned against an alley wall, out of the way of people walking by. Or, maybe he just wanted more privacy. "What did he mean about you disappearing forever?"
"...You heard that, huh?" Miwa begrudgingly followed him into the alleyway. She hoped to avoid a conversation like this. "I haven't told him anything, but Iizuna could tell something happened in Gandara, and he thinks I'm going to stay in Demon World."
"...He thinks?"
"I'm coming back," Miwa insisted, leaning forward. "I said I would be there while you're working with Yomi. Iizuna just likes to make fun of me."
Kurama looked down at his feet, thinking carefully. The short silence as he thought to himself weighed heavily in the air. There was something he wanted to say, but for some reason, he had not said it for a long time. "...Is that what you want?" he finally asked, still looking at his shoes.
Miwa furrowed her eyebrows. "Why wouldn't it be?"
A small fog formed by Kurama's mouth as he sighed. "I know that what Shirai said has been bothering you, ever since we came back. Even Iizuna knows that you're hesitating about something..." He looked up, holding Miwa in place with his stare. "You know as well as I do that having Fuura fix your seal is not your only choice."
Miwa resisted a very strong urge to step back, away from him. "Of course not. There's not even a guarantee I'll find-"
"It's more than that. Even if you don't find her, or even if she refuses to help..." He trailed off, refusing to look away. "You're not beholden to me, Miwa. Or to anyone. Only to yourself. That's why Shirai told you the truth. If there's something else you want to do, or…" For a moment, he glanced away, but he looked back just as quickly. "...or someone else you want to walk with, then that's what you should do."
This time, Miwa did step back. Hearing him say it so directly was only a confirmation of things she long suspected. He really didn't need her. Her place at his side was always an illusion, built on nothing but lies and misunderstandings. Kurama probably could have done all these things for Yomi without her. He was smart and resourceful on his own, even before they met.
"You know," Miwa said, not having the courage to look Kurama in the eye anymore. A strange smile that didn't feel real crept onto her lips. "Iizuna was right. I don't know what I'm going to do, even if I find Fuura. I don't think I'll know until the choice is right in front of me..."
Shirai's letter had warned her about this, of a choice someone like her would have to make. Before, she had thought it was choosing to side with one of the three lords of Demon World, but that couldn't have been more wrong. This was it. This choice, one of the most important decisions of her life. The potential for infinite possibilities.
Where is the place she was meant to be?
"Miwa, I don't want to tell you what to do with your life. You've spent enough of it on me..." Kurama stepped forward, shortening the distance between them, and he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. It was warm, and comforting. "I just hope that...what you do end up choosing makes you happy."
They were connected by the touch of Kurama's hand, and their scents were so clear, but the distance between them had never felt so far apart. Miwa pulled herself away from his hand and took a couple steps out of the alley. All of a sudden, the sounds of people walking by were very loud, finally coming back into focus.
"I'll think about it carefully," was all Miwa said before running away, disappearing completely into the crowd.
Kurama didn't try to follow her. He just watched as her familiar head of hair drifted further and further away, and as her scent quickly faded into the distance. This may not be the last time Kurama saw her before Miwa finally left for Demon World, but there was still a strong feeling of parting. Of...loss. Kurama watched her leave, memorizing every feature, until every last trace of her vanished, leaving him feeling completely alone in that dim alleyway. This was the right thing to do, he told himself. This was the best thing, for both him and her. Ever since he decided, as a child, to not leave his human mother behind, Kurama had hoped Miwa would finally choose a path for herself, and only for herself. This was the right thing to do, to keep her from eating her own tail forever, to break the endless cycle she trapped herself in.
Even if he never saw her again, despite loving her so much...
Notes: All of the scenes with Iizuna and Miwa's scene with Shirai were each scrapped and rewritten at least three times. It took a long time for me to feel satisfied with this chapter, but Miwa's cycle has really been shaken up this time. Kurama is beginning to realize some things too...
Iizuna is a regional Japanese name for a weasel. Iizuna will probably never say what kind of demon he is, but I've always pictured him as a weasel creature, since weasels in folklore are known to possess people.